Missing
by JimmyxCindy976J
Summary: When Cindy Vortex goes missing after a huge fight with her long-term rival Jimmy Neutron, everybody in Retroville is racing against time to find her. Will Jimmy be able to save her before it's too late? And why does he have the strangest feeling that she's been with him this entire time? J/C.
1. Rejection

**Author's Note: Well, here's another story I've been working on inbetween Nine Months. These two stories will probably be my last new ones until they get finished, and then I'll post new stuff afterwards. This is also going to be sort of longer and much more dramatic than the other pieces I've written, but I hope you all enjoy! :) Thanks for reading, and please leave a review and tell me what you think! **

**I do not own Jimmy Neutron. If I did, it'd still be on air. :P **

* * *

**Missing**

**Chapter 1: Rejection**

It wouldn't be a typical Tuesday afternoon at Retroville High School if Sophomore students Jimmy Neutron and Cindy Vortex weren't bickering about their Chemistry exam results in the middle of the school hallway.

"You don't even belong here! Just go to college and leave us all alone!" A very ticked off Cindy Vortex exclaimed. She had received a perfect one-hundred percent on her exam, but of course, her biggest rival since elementary school had to one-up her by showing off his one-hundred and fifty-eight percent result.

"Been there, done that! I'm happy being here and accompanying my favorite blonde-haired _demon_ all the way to graduation," Jimmy explained with a smirk on his face as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Besides, your life would be _boring_ without me!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't consider constantly risking my life to save your butt exciting, either," Cindy responded as she swiftly pushed the boy genius off her shoulders and into the nearest locker. "Oh, and please refrain from touching me; unless you want everyone to witness this blonde-haired _demon_ kicking your butt!"

"What is your problem, Vortex?" Jimmy shot up and got within inches of Cindy's face. He could feel his face becoming redder by the second as his temper started to rise.

She did this every time. She would rub it in his face how amazing she did on her test or project, and he would counteract by showing her his results. It wasn't his fault he simply did better than she did, and he tried his best not to rub it in as much as he would have when they were kids. He's been trying to keep his ego down a notch, but Cindy wasn't letting him succeed.

"My problem is that I've been competing with a certain big-headed _freak_ since elementary school and I can't catch a break!"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed Cindy, we're _not_ in elementary school anymore! You don't need to constantly compete against me! Why can't you just get it through your thick, strange head that I'm not competing with you anymore?"

Cindy opened her mouth to respond, but noticed the crowd of students surrounding them, wanting to see how their fight was going to go this time. Some students were even starting to make wagers. "Five bucks says the blonde girl makes the big-headed kid cry!"

Jimmy rolled my eyes and looked back at Cindy. He just wanted this ridiculous competition to finally end between them. As much as he hated to admit it, he really wanted to be her friend without all the fighting. _Maybe_ even more than a friend. He has been strangely attracted to the girl for as long as he could remember, but their rivalry prevented him from being able to pursue anything past the occasional kissing or hand holding here and there. Plus, she would never admit that she felt a mutual attraction, at least not when she was too busy trying to best him at everything.

Cindy's face began to beat red as she noticed all the attention she had brought toward her and Jimmy. She wasn't sure if it was because people were actively witnessing their bickering or because she had finally had enough of the fighting as well, but she turned around and pushed herself through the crowd of students. She was done and over this day completely.

The crowd began to disperse and Jimmy was left standing there, sighing and watching Cindy walk away from him. He wanted to chase after her, tell her he was sorry for something he had never meant to do, and just hold her soft, pale hand. He knew it would be miraculous if he were able to get to that point without her punching him in the gut, first. Jimmy rolled his eyes at the thought of her aggressive demeanor and walked off to his next class.

* * *

Jimmy laid on his bed that evening, confused and lost in his thoughts. How could someone so beautiful and smart cause him this much trouble for so many years? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. He tried playing along with her games in elementary school. He tried being nice to her when she was stressed with her demanding home-life. He tried giving away as many hints as possible to show he actually _cares_ about her for who she is, not for her brain. He just could not win, because in her eyes, he was always wrong.

"What am I supposed to do?" Jimmy asked himself as he buried his face in his hands.

"Give up on her, dude." Jimmy shot up to find his two best friends in the doorway of his bedroom. "She's a mess."

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Jimmy asked, trying to pretend he was not thinking about his blond-haired neighbor.

"We heard about the fight you guys had today," Carl said as he walked over to Jimmy.

"Yeah, she's crazy, Jim. Just leave her alone for a while," Sheen suggested. "Maybe she'll cut off all her crap if you ignore her for the time being. It works, trust me."

"The same way it _worked _that one time when you ignored Libby for two whole minutes because you were upset with her for not coming over to watch Ultra Lord, but then you missed her too much to leave her alone?" Carl asked with a smirk across his face.

"Carl! Whose side are you on?" Sheen shouted.

"I don't know, guys," Jimmy intervened. "I just don't think I could ignore her. I mean, aside from you two, she's probably one of my best friends, and I don't know, sometimes I want to be _more_ than that. But when she acts crazy like this, I have second thoughts about pursuing anything more than a friendship with her. Maybe we're just meant to be rivals."

"Well, you can't just keep letting her get to you like this, Jimmy," Carl said. "Maybe you should just give yourself some space from her. It could help you _both_ figure out what you guys want."

Jimmy thought about it. He knew his friends were right. _The only way Cindy is ever going to change is if I stand my ground,_ he thought. _Maybe she needs the space, too._

* * *

Cindy laid on her bed and rubbed her eyes softly, trying not to rub her mascara into her eyes. _When will this demanding life ever end_? She thought, as she held back the tears she has been holding back since she was eleven years old. Cindy lived a demanding life for a sixteen year old. She had to please her parents by doing everything they asked of her, her teachers by being a straight-A student, and her friends by being around for them all the time, even when they weren't always there for her. Never did she think of a way to please herself, because she was too busy trying to please others.

She never liked being dramatic about it, either. In fact, most of her friends had the slightest clue how her home life _really_ was. Except for Jimmy Neutron, for she has poured her heart out to him several times about how much she wanted to run far away from here. She has even tried to convince him to take her to their deserted island, where they could forget about all the pressure they face in their lives. Jimmy wasn't convinced enough to go. He actually enjoyed his life in Retroville with his family and close friends.

Cindy sat up, walked into her bathroom, and started her bath water. _Maybe a nice hot bath is what I need_, Cindy thought. She undressed and slowly got into the tub full of hot water. She felt instant relief as her problems started soaking away. She closed her eyes and drifted away into her imagination.

This was the best part of her demanding life; being able to disappear into her own thoughts as she tried to relieve the tension. _He's right, you know_, the little voice in head told her. _And if you don't stop this, you will push him away for good. _

Cindy's eyes shot open and she felt uncomfortable from the idea that Jimmy wouldn't always be around if she kept up this behavior. He has been around since day one, whether she liked it or not. The thought of him leaving her alone bothered her more than him constantly beating her academically. He was truly her best friend, even when she didn't act like it.

"He drives me crazy," Cindy whispered to herself. "But maybe I _should_ apologize." She enjoyed the whippy-dipped head in her life, not that she would ever admit that to him.

* * *

The next day at school was very calm. Cindy felt her stomach flip around and go into knots at the thought of _apologizing_ to her long-term rival, but she knew it had to be done. She was finally over all the fighting and she was starting to feel hopeful for a stable friendship with him.

She searched all around the school for Jimmy until she found him across the hall, talking to his two childhood best friends. She inhaled a deep breath as she walked toward the three boys.

"Hey," Cindy greeted softly as she approached Jimmy. "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Uh oh," Carl said. "Let's go, Sheen. I don't want to be caught in the crossfire of these two."

Cindy watched as the two friends walked away, leaving Cindy and Jimmy behind.

"What do you want, Vortex?" Jimmy spat out a bit more harshly than he intended. Normally Cindy would slap him across the face for speaking to her in such a tone, but she wanted to make amends, so she held her hands behind her back before she ended up making a big mistake.

"Look, Neutron. I just wanted to say-"

"I don't care."

"What?" She was thrown back from his sudden response.

"I've been thinking a lot lately and I just don't care anymore, Cindy. I've tried and I've tried to be civil with you, but all you want is a rivalry with me. This five-year competition has gotten _way_ out of hand."

"But-"

"I just want you to leave me alone for a while. You can be _so _exhausting sometimes, Vortex."

"_I'm_ exhausting? Try keeping up with someone with an IQ of 210!"

"That's what I mean, Cindy. I never_ asked_ you to keep up with me! You just assumed you had to. I already know you're smart, probably the smartest girl in this entire school. I don't know what you're trying to prove or who you're trying to prove it to, but until you can stop this nonsense, I think it's best we just stay away from each other for a while. At least until we both figure out what we want."

Jimmy gave Cindy a gentle kiss on the cheek and walked away. She lightly touched the spot his soft lips were placed, as she watched the young genius walk over to his friends, not once looking back at her. Cindy Vortex just came face-to-face with her biggest fear; rejection from Jimmy Neutron.


	2. Rebound

**Missing**

**Chapter 2: Rebound**

Telling Cindy to leave him alone was the hardest thing Jimmy has ever done. As much as he wanted to turn around and run back to her, he knew this was the right thing to do for both himself and her.

_She'll forgive you._

"I hope," Jimmy whispered to himself as he walked with his two best friends to class.

"What was that, Jimmy?" Carl asked.

"Oh, nothing," he mumbled.

"You did the right thing, Jim," Carl said as he patted his best friend's shoulder. "I'm sure you guys will have a lot of time to think now that you guys won't be fighting so much."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Jimmy responded. _I hope_.

* * *

"Then he told me he wanted me to leave him alone! Leave _him_ alone! And to think I was actually going to _apologize_ to that fudge-headed jerk!" Cindy exclaimed angrily to her best friend as they sat at their normal lunch table. She had been waiting all day to tell Libby about her conversation with Jimmy that morning. "Can you believe that?"

"Girl, why don't you two just date and get it over with?" A very annoyed Libby Folfax responded. She was tired of hearing every little issue her best friend had with her so-called _rival_. She's been waiting since they were kids for those two to just go get a lab and leave everybody alone with their problems.

"Libby, that's _gross_! This is _Nerdtron_ we're talking about!"

"Yeah, the same _Nerdtron_ you've been in love with since elementary school. You two fight worse than a married couple!"

"Libby, don't be ridiculous! I do _not_ want to date that freak!" Cindy crossed her arms and angrily looked in the opposite direction. How dare her best friend _accuse_ her of something so ridiculous!

"Well, then what _do _you want from him?"

This question actually left her speechless for once. She couldn't come up with a good enough answer. Sure, her and Jimmy are much closer now than they were when they were kids, but what _did_ she want from him? She loved how close they were, but did she want something more from him?

_Maybe this is why I can't get over this darn childhood rivalry_, Cindy thought to herself. _I don't even know if I _want_ to be over it._

"Crap," Cindy muttered as she buried her face into her hands. Her best friend smirked, knowing she challenged her with a question she could not answer.

Libby was going to rub it in her face about how right she was, but Sheen, Carl, and Jimmy came to the lunch table. Normally Sheen would sit next to Libby, with Carl next to him, and Jimmy next to Cindy, across from their friends. But because of the cold shoulder Jimmy was giving Cindy, he sat next to Carl, leaving Cindy by herself on her side of the table.

This wasn't easy for Jimmy at all. He pretended he was reading out of his Chemistry book, not paying any attention to the other four sitting at the lunch table. _Maybe I shouldn't listen to Carl and Sheen,_ Jimmy thought as he skimmed through this week's chapter. _What do they know about this situation, anyway?_

Jimmy peaked over at Cindy from the corner of his eye. She was just picking at her lunch with her fork, staring off into space, obviously deep in thought. Jimmy closed his book and was about to gather his things to sit next to Cindy, but then an unwelcomed visitor came up to her.

"Why, hello Cynthia," Eustace Strych greeted. He grabbed her hand and kissed it gently. "How are you on this fine afternoon?"

"What do you want, _Strych_?" Jimmy spat. Everybody looked over at him and he remembered he was supposed to be leaving Cindy alone. He reopened his chemistry book and pretended to ignore Eustace flirting with Cindy.

"Oh, James. I'm just here to ask sweet Cynthia if she would like to accompany me to park this evening. My father is tearing down many of the trees and building a new gazebo in the area to spruce up the place a bit," Eustace explained. "Cynthia, would you be interested?"

Cindy looked at Eustace and then back over at Jimmy. He looked angry while reading his chemistry book, and she knew she had his attention. Cindy smirked and looked back over at Eustace.

"Of _course_ I'll go with you, Eustace," Cindy responded.

"_What?_" Jimmy exclaimed as he stood up, slamming both hands on the lunch table. "Are you _seriously_ going to go on a _date_ with this rich, stuck-up jerk?"

Jimmy didn't realize he had not only all of his friends' attention, but the entire cafeteria as well. Eustace started to chuckle, obviously noticing Jimmy's intense rage and jealousy.

"I apologize, James. Is Cynthia your girlfriend? I didn't know you two were a _thing_, now," Eustace asked with a smirk.

"Absolutely not," Cindy explained. "He doesn't want anything to do with me, anymore. So I would be _happy_ to accompany you to the park this evening."

"But-" Jimmy started, but was immediately interrupted by Eustace.

"Splendid! I'll have the limo pick you at your house around six-thirty. Ciao!" Eustace kissed Cindy's hand again before walking away from the lunch table.

Cindy smirked as she watched Eustace walk away, and turned back to her best friend. She had her arms crossed and a very disappointed look on her face.

"What?" Cindy asked innocently.

"Bathroom. _Now_!" Libby demanded as she stood up and pulled Cindy off her seat, dragging her like a young child to the nearest girl's restroom.

"What is your _problem_, Cindy?" Libby asked as soon as they entered the bathroom. The rage in her voice made three other girls in the restroom quickly exit the area.

"What are you talking about?" Cindy asked.

"You don't even _like_ Eustace Strych, yet you're going to go on a date with him? The only reason you agreed to go is because Jimmy was right there, and you wanted to make him jealous!"

"That's not true," Cindy lied. "Eustace can be kind and nice, and he has _a lot_ of money!"

"But you don't like him in that kind of way, and you know it! You're in love with Jimmy and you're too stubborn to even admit it," Libby crossed her arms and waited for a response from her friend.

"It doesn't even matter, now," Cindy said as she turned over to the mirror, and fussed with her long blond hair. "He doesn't want anything to do with me, so what's the point?"

"The point is that if you want to be with _Jimmy_, then you need to go fight for _him_, not go on another date to make him jealous!"

"Whoa, I never said I _wanted_ to be with Neutron!"

"But you didn't deny it," Libby responded with a smirk.

"I don't know _what_ I want from Neutron," Cindy admitted. "All I know is it's driving me crazy that he's ignoring me!"

"Well, you can't just make him jealous and think that's going to get his attention. You heard the way he responded when Eustace asked you out on a date. He was so angry!" Libby explained. "You could really ruin your _friendship_ over this. And no matter how much he's driving you crazy today, you know you'd rather be his friend than nothing at all."

Cindy stopped fussing with hair and stared at her friend's reflection behind her. Libby was right and she knew it. Cindy turned around and faced her.

"So what should I do?" Cindy asked quietly.

"You go out there and you fix this. Apologize to Jimmy, for _everything_. But if he wants space, you need to respect that as well or you'll push him away."

Cindy nodded in response and walked out of the bathroom. She had no time to waste if she wanted to fix things with Jimmy once and for all. She walked over to their lunch table but only found Carl and Sheen arguing about whether or not Carl stole some of Sheen's tator tots.

"I know you stole them!" Sheen accused, pointing at Carl.

"Who, me? No, you got the wrong guy!" Carl denied.

"Hey, dunderheads, where's Neutron?" Cindy asked. Carl and Sheen turned and found Cindy standing over them, her arms crossed.

"He stormed off and said he was going to his locker," Carl responded. "He looked pretty ticked off."

"Great," Cindy muttered and walked out of the cafeteria. She searched the halls for the boy genius, to find him shoving books into his locker, exactly where Carl said he was at. The hallway was emptied, and Cindy couldn't be more thankful for that.

"Hey," Cindy said as she approached him.

"Leave. Me. Alone," Jimmy demanded. He slammed his locker shut and started walking away, but Cindy wasn't letting him leave this conversation again. She grabbed his arm and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"No, Neutron! You need to listen to me!" Cindy yelled. "I've been trying to apologize to you since this morning about our fight yesterday, but you won't hear me out!"

"Oh, so going on a date with Eustace Strych is supposed to be your way to apologize to me?"

"No, that wasn't supposed to happen! I was trying to apologize but you told me to leave you alone. So I did exactly what you wanted me to do."

"Going on a date with an enemy of mine is _not_ what I wanted you to do," Jimmy explained. "It doesn't matter now. Go on a date with Strych. Get married, have his _babies_! I really don't care anymore! I'm not stopping you, Vortex. Just leave me alone."

Cindy watched Jimmy angrily stomp away. She leaned her back against his locker and slid down to the ground.

_This was_ not_ supposed to happen_, Cindy thought as she buried her face into her knees. She heard somebody walk over to her and she looked up, hoping it was Jimmy coming back to apologize and wanting to talk things over. It was just Libby. She sat on the ground next to Cindy.

"I was standing down the hall and I heard you guys fighting. It'll be okay," Libby said softly, placing her hand on Cindy's shoulder. "Give him some time to cool off and then go by the lab to talk to him."

"No, I'm done with him, Libby," Cindy said. "He wants to be like this, I can be _much, much_ worse."

"What are you going to do?" Libby asked.

"I'm going on that date with Eustace, and there's nothing you can say or do to stop me." Cindy sat up and stormed her way outside the building, leaving her best friend behind in the empty hallway.

* * *

**Author's Note: **_Well, here's the second chapter guys! Getting a bit dramatic lol I'm so excited by how many Favs/Follows/Reviews I received for the first chapter! Thank you guys soo much! :D I'll try keeping this story updated at least once a week, as well as trying to get caught up in "Nine Months" (I got some writers block for chapter 3 but I'm back on track!). I'm also starting summer classes next month, which I'm so super excited! I dropped out of college almost 2 years ago, but I'm going back to finish my business degree! With school and a full-time job, as well as wanting to enjoy some of my summer (I'm turning 21 next Thursday, so it's time to party! XD), I'm not sure how much writing I'll be doing but I'd like to keep everything updated within a fair amount of time! _

_Anyway, Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! :) Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome! _

**~JimmyxCindy976J :)**


	3. Regret

**Missing**

**Chapter 3: Regret**

Walking home from school, Cindy Vortex started to regret her decision to accept Eustace's invitation to the park this evening. She knew what she was doing was wrong, but she wanted to prove to Jimmy that if he didn't need her, then she didn't need him either. She watched him and his two best friends walking in front of them, only a few feet in front of her and Libby.

"I'm completely against this, and you know it, Cindy," Libby said. She has been trying since lunch to convince Cindy _not_ to go on this date with Eustace, but Cindy wasn't budging. "I just have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach about the situation. I mean, why would he ask you to go on a date with him? The last time you even spoke to him was when we were in elementary school."

"I don't know, and I really don't care. I'm trying to prove a point to Neutron, and there's nothing you can say to stop me," Cindy explained.

"Girl, I'm literally _begging _you," Libby got in front of Cindy and stopped her from walking any further. "I really don't think you should go. This is a terrible idea, and not because it'll make Jimmy mad. Don't you see that something isn't right about this situation?"

"Libby, I'll be fine. If anything happens, which nothing will, but if anything does, I can handle myself. I'm a black belt, Libs. Besides, you're only a phone away, right?"

"Girl, I'm so against this, but you know I have your back. Just… just promise me to call me after your _date_, okay?"

"Of course," Cindy stopped in front of her house. "Thanks, Libs."

"Just be careful," Libby warned before walking away to her house.

* * *

Cindy was in her room, brushing her hair in front of her full-length mirror. She couldn't get Libby's words out of her head. _What if she's right_? She thought. _What if something _isn't_ right about this_?

She stood there for a moment, trying to remember the last time she spoke to the spoiled rich boy. After their few run-ins during their childhood adventures, she didn't remember seeing very much of him within the past five years. Nonetheless, it still did not stop her from trying her hardest in getting Jimmy's attention. She knew it drove him crazy to see his close friend out with his childhood enemy.

She looked out the window and stared at the Neutron's residence across the street. She saw a light on in Jimmy's room.

"I'll give him one last chance to stop giving me the cold shoulder," Cindy said to herself. She picked up her cell phone from off her nightstand and starting dialing Jimmy's number. "If he answers, I won't go. If he sends it to voicemail, he can kiss this friendship goodbye."

She put the phone up to her ear, listening to the phone ringing. Deep down inside, she was hoping he would pick up. After five rings, the phone went to Jimmy's voicemail, instructing to leave a brief message after the beep. Cindy felt her heart drop, and she knew what she had to do. After the beep, she stayed on the phone for a few seconds, before quietly choking out, "I'm sorry," and then hung up.

She looked at the time on her cell phone; it said 6:27pm. Knowing Eustace was a precise person, or at least that's what she remembered of him, she knew he would be there to pick her up in a few minutes. She almost thought about calling him, telling him she was sick or telling him her cat passed away and she was in mourning. She wanted to tell him anything just to get herself out of this mess. She didn't want to go on a date with Eustace; she just wanted Jimmy's attention.

Cindy looked out her window again and saw the limo pull up in front of her house. She took a deep breath and walked out of her room, down the stairs, and stopped at the front door.

"Libby was right," Cindy whispered to herself, just before opening the front door and leaving her home. "This _is_ a terrible idea."

* * *

After Cindy and Eustace arrived at the park, they walked around the construction site, where the bulldozers were vacant after a long day's work.

"It's beautiful out here," Cindy commented, gazing at the scenery in front of her. She looked up in the sky and noticed a star started to appear.

"Oh, it definitely is, Cynthia," Eustace responded. He grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly. Cindy smiled but slowly pulled her hand away.

"Yeah, you can cool it with the chivalry," Cindy noted. "Actually, I'd like some answers."

"Certainly, Cynthia."

"And I preferred to be called _Cindy_," she correct. "Anyway, why did you invite me out here, Strych? I think the last time we even had a conversation was back when we were kids. And I don't remember it ending very well."

"Oh, Cynth- _Cindy_. You're so suspicious about _everything_, aren't you? Very well. You see, my father holds a very _large_ estate, in the millions to be more precise. And unfortunately, father is not doing so well," Eustace began to explain.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Cindy responded sympathetically. "But what does that have to do with taking me to the park?"

"I was getting to that point. Anyway, father is leaving me his estate in one condition."

"What's that?"

"I must marry before his passing. You see, father believes that if I marry, it'll show me 'responsibility' and how to have 'compassion' for others, or some other nonsense."

"And you thought I'd marry you?" Cindy raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to decline."

"But Cindy, you're the most _gorgeous_ girl I've ever met! And I have plenty of money, which I can use to make you _very_ happy."

"Forget it, Eustace. I'm only sixteen, I have my whole life ahead of me. And I hate to break it to you Strych, but I'm not all that into you."

"Then why did you agree to come on this date?"

"Well… honestly, I only agreed to go with you because Neutron and I haven't been on good terms lately, and I sort of wanted to make him, you know, jealous."

"_What_? How dare you mess with my emotions!" Eustace exclaimed.

"Look, I'm sorry, Eustace," Cindy apologized. "I shouldn't have agreed to come here with those intentions. I should have listened when Libby said not to go. Right now, I just want to focus on getting Neutron to hate me a little less. Good luck on your mission. I'm sure whatever gold digger you find will be very happy with your proposition."

Cindy started to walk away, but Eustace grabbed her arm before she could get any further.

"Hey, let go of me!" Cindy exclaimed, yanking her arm back and punching him in the stomach. Eustace fell straight to the ground. "Don't you _ever _grab me like that, again! In case you may have forgotten, I'm a black belt!"

"How dare you," Eustace muttered angrily under his breath.

He watched as Cindy started walking away, his blood starting to boil from anger. He turned over and found a large rock right next to his hand. He picked it up, ran up behind Cindy, and struck her right in the back of the head. Her body fell slowly on the ground, becoming instantly unconscious. Eustace smirked and dropped the rock on the ground, waiting for her to get back up and retaliate. He stood over her and once he realized she wasn't getting back up, he bent over and started nudging her shoulder.

"Cynthia?" Eustace called out. "Cynthia…? Cynthia, this isn't funny!"

Cindy just laid there, her eyes shut and she remained unresponsive. Eustace looked at the back of her head, and found she was bleeding.

"Oh dear, this can't be good."

* * *

Jimmy finished typing out his book report and began to print his masterpiece. He felt accomplish by the work he had finished. He knew it wasn't due for another two and a half weeks, but being ahead of schedule was his specialty.

He looked out the window above his computer and saw the Vortex's residence. He noticed Cindy's bedroom light was off and that it was getting late.

"I hope she's okay," Jimmy whispered to himself. "No, forget her. She wanted to go on that _stupid_ date with my rival just to make me angry, and she succeeded."

He walked over to his nightstand and picked up his cell phone. He saw '1 Missed Call and 1 Voicemail' laminate across the screen.

"Who called me?" Jimmy asked himself, as he pressed the notification, sending him to his voicemail. He didn't hear anything for a few seconds, but then heard the faint message Cindy had left him. "I'm sorry."

Jimmy took the phone off his ear and stared at the screen for a moment. _Maybe I should call her back_, Jimmy thought.

He felt guilty for missing her message, but then he started to feel angry again, remembering the limo that had pulled up to her house and watching her get into it, anyway.

"If she was really sorry, she wouldn't have gone," Jimmy said to himself. He looked back at his phone, he felt tempted to call her back. "Nah, I guess I'll just try talking to her tomorrow. Who knows, maybe she finally came to her senses."

He turned off his phone, placing it back on the nightstand. He pulled his shirt over his shoulder, threw it on the ground, turned off the light, and crawled into bed.

* * *

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," Eustace muttered to himself nervously as he dragged Cindy's unconscious body deep into the woods. "Alright, father isn't constructing in this part of the woods. Nobody will find her."

He laid her on her back, crossing both of her arms across her chest. He was about to walk away when he heard Cindy's phone ringing.

"Blast! I can't believe I forgot about her phone," Eustace pulled her phone out of her pocket. She received a text message from Libby.

_Girl, u home yet? It's gettin' late and u haven't called me. Worried about u. ~Libs_

"Oh dear, what do I do?" Eustace asked himself. He took a deep breath and began to text her back, impersonating Cindy.

_Just got home a while ago. Sorry I didn't call u, getting pretty tired. Taking a shower and heading to bed. See you 2morrow at school. Lots to talk about. ~Cindy_

He had to make Libby believe she made it home. Before he gave Libby the chance to reply, he threw the phone of the ground and smashed it under his foot. He couldn't risk anybody tracing it to the woods. He knew it wouldn't be long before she would be reported missing, and he didn't want to leave any evidence that he was the culprit behind her disappearance.

He slowly walked back to the limo, sobbing quietly. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He couldn't believe he was just going to _leave_ her in the woods, defenseless and unresponsive. A big part of him wanted to go back and take her to the hospital, but he knew he wouldn't get away with the assault he just performed. He knew he would face jail time and his entire life would be ruined. He couldn't risk it.

He opened the backdoor to the limo and crawled in.

"Ms. Vortex decided to walk home," Eustace said softly to Blix. "You can take me home now."

"As you wish, sir," Blix responded and started to drive away from the park. Eustace looked back, hoping he would see Cindy charging out of the woods, cursing his name loud in the air for leaving her behind. But he saw nothing, and he began to regret the very moment he invited Cindy Vortex to the park.

* * *

**Author's Note:**_Thank you everybody who has read/favorited/followed/reviewed this story! It truly means a lot and you guys are so awesome!_

_This chapter is where the story really starts to pick up. __So, does anybody have any thoughts or predictions on what's going to happen next? I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking, and your thoughts about this chapter! _

_Again, thank you all for your support and stay tuned for more! :)_

_\- JimmyxCindy976J _


	4. Reported

**Missing**

**Chapter 4: Reported**

Cindy Vortex woke up in her warm bed the next morning around 5:45am. This was her normal time to get up, eat breakfast, take a shower, and head off to school. She sat up and looked around her room in confusion. She couldn't remember what happened the night before. She remembered arguing with Eustace about his ridiculous idea in marrying her, but she couldn't remember anything past that point.

Cindy shrugged off the thought and figured she would remember much better after some breakfast and a nice, warm morning shower. She jumped out of bed and headed downstairs, awaiting for her mother to greet her with a nice, hot breakfast and helping her father with this morning's crossword puzzle in the newspaper. When she walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to see nobody there. The kitchen looked untouched since last night's dinner.

"That's weird," Cindy noted to herself. "Maybe they overslept."

She ran back upstairs and knocked on her parent's bedroom door. The door wasn't closed all the way, which caused the door to slowly swing open once Cindy's hand came into contact with it. The room was empty, it looked like the bed wasn't even slept in.

"Okay, that's even weirder."

She ran back downstairs and into the family room, searching for her parents. No luck.

"You've got to be kidding me. If Neutron contacted those Yolkians again, I swear I'm going to pound him to a pulp," Cindy muttered, as she searched throughout her entire house for her mother and father. She finally decided to look out the window, and saw that the family vehicle was gone. She sighed in relief. "They probably went to the store real quick. Thank goodness."

She walked back into her kitchen, poured herself a bowl of cereal, and walked over to the couch. She grabbed the remote off the coffee table and turned on the TV. What she saw on the TV nearly made her drop her cereal in shock.

On the TV screen was a picture of herself, with caption saying, Cindy Vortex: Missing Teen.

"_What_?" Cindy shouted in disbelief. She placed her bowl on the coffee table and turned up the volume on the TV.

"Good morning, Retroville," The news anchor greeted. "Breaking news; Local teenage girl Cindy Vortex was reported missing around two o'clock this morning by her mother and father. She was last seen at her home around 6:30 pm last night, before being picked up by her friend for a date at the park. Around ten o'clock last night, her parents began to worry when Cindy didn't come home and made a police report a few hours later. Her parents were unable to contact her by phone and police were unable to track it to find her location. Police have brought a few people into the station for questioning, but are not releasing any names at this time. Cindy Vortex is only sixteen years old. She is five feet, three inches tall and has blonde hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a green button up top and blue jeans. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Cindy Vortex, please call the local police."

"Oh… my… god...," Cindy gasped. She immediately felt embarrassed. "I must have snuck in so quietly, my parents didn't hear me and thought I didn't come home."

Cindy hopped off the couch and grabbed the house phone off the end table next to her couch. She began to dial her mother's cell phone number when something caught her eye. She looked over at the mirror and began to feel anxious. She moved closer and closer to the mirror, but nothing changed. She dropped the house phone and placed both hands on the mirror. She couldn't believe what she had seen, or _didn't_ see. She made no reflection in the mirror, whatsoever.

"What on Earth is going on?" Cindy screamed in frustration. "Why am I invisible? Am I… a _ghost_?"

She pulled her hands away and stared at them. She didn't have a problem seeing her hands, but when she looked back up at the mirror, she was invisible. She began to freak out.

"_Neutron_!" Cindy screamed after she opened her front door. She was sure this was his fault somehow, and she was sure her scream would awaken her neighbors out of a dead sleep, but nobody responded to her. Even the birds sitting on the telephone wire were still there; they didn't even flinch. She noticed a young man jogging past her house.

"Hey! Hey, you! Can you help me, please?" Cindy ran off her porch and tried to catch up the stranger. "I was reported missing last night but I'm right here!"

The man kept jogging, not even noticing the young girl's existence. Cindy stopped chasing him and just stood there in the middle of the road, no more than ten feet from her yard. "Nobody can see me _or_ hear me? I'm going to freak out if I don't get some answers soon!"

She turned around and noticed the big yellow school bus pulling up behind her, and then stopping. The door swung open and her neighborhood classmates began to exit their homes and line up to enter the bus. Even Jimmy got out of his house and made it to the bus in time before it pulled away. Once everybody settled in the bus, the bus driver closed the door and drove off, not even acknowledging the blonde haired girl on the opposite side of the road.

"Oh, this isn't good!" Cindy yelled. She ran back to her house and closed the front door. She then began to walk to school, hoping to find somebody, _anybody_ who could see or hear her.

* * *

"I'm _really_ worried about Cindy," Libby sobbed on Sheen's shoulder. The thought of her best friend missing made her feel helpless. "Where could she be?"

"I don't know, Libby," Sheen responded, rubbing Libby's back. "But if anybody could find her, it'd be-"

"If you say Ultra Lord, I will _beat_ you!" Libby threatened. "I don't have time for your games! I need to find my best friend!"

Cindy walked up to her Libby, in hopes of her having a strong enough connection to her that she'd be able to see and hear her.

"Libby, I'm right here," Cindy greeted, waving her hand in front of Libby's face. When she didn't respond, Cindy started poking her in the shoulder several times, but was not successful in capturing her best friend's attention. Libby could not see, hear, or feel her in anyway. Cindy looked over at Sheen, who paid his full attention on Libby. "Even if people _could_ see me, he wouldn't even acknowledge I was here."

Carl walked over to Libby and Sheen, and gave Libby a hug. "It'll be okay, Libby. Cindy probably just went for a late night walk or something. She'll be okay."

"Carl, I'm right _here_!" Cindy shouted at him, but he didn't react to her. He couldn't see or hear her either.

"It doesn't make any sense," Libby said. "She texted me last night and said she was at home and she was going to bed. Now she's missing? Something happened, and I bet you Strych is up to it."

"Strych is up to what?" The boy genius asked as he approached his group of friends. "What's going on?"

"Didn't you watch the news this morning?" Libby asked. Jimmy raised his eyebrow in confusion and shook his head. "Cindy is missing!"

"What do you mean she's _missing_?" Jimmy asked.

"Missing, as in, she never went home last night," Libby explained. "Or at least that's what her parents are claiming. She texted me last night and said she made it home, but her parents went to the police last night and said she never did."

"I never texted you last night," Cindy stated in confusion, not that she would hear her. "At least, I don't remember texting you. Ugh, I'd give anything just to know what in hell is going on!"

"That's ridiculous," Jimmy said. "She probably just ran away or is at the mall. Face it, she does everything to get attention."

Cindy started to get angry at his statement. Even if she _did_ run away, she wouldn't do it for attention. She would do it to get away from her demanding home life. She couldn't believe he would make such accusations about her.

"Jimmy, it's true," Carl said. "She didn't come home last night."

"Then she's probably with _Strych_ somewhere," Jimmy reasoned. "Come on, do you _really_ think he would do something to her? He's a coward and she's a black belt. There's no way he did anything, and there's no way I'm buying that she went missing. She probably ran off and married him for his money."

"_How dare you_," Cindy muttered angrily. She ran up behind him and pushed him on the ground. Everybody, including Cindy herself, stood there in shock. Her friends couldn't understand what happened to cause Jimmy to fall down like that. Cindy couldn't understand how after all her efforts in getting everybody's attention, it only worked on Jimmy.

"Jimmy, you okay?" Sheen asked as him and Carl helped him off the ground. "What happened?"

"I… I don't know," Jimmy responded in confusion. He turned around and found nobody behind him. "It felt like someone pushed me… like, _Cindy_ pushed me."

"Jimmy, that's not funny!" Libby yelled, poking his chest. "Cindy is actually missing, and you're going to play little jokes like that? How dare you!"

Libby stomped away from the group and left Jimmy, Sheen, and Carl behind. Carl and Sheen looked at Jimmy, who was white as a ghost.

"You okay, dude?" Sheen asked.

"I was being serious. It really felt like Cindy pushed me," Jimmy mumbled.

"Are you sure?" Carl asked. "Maybe you tripped or something."

"Guys, I know Cindy's push. She has pushed me quite a few times throughout our childhood. But, she isn't here. I just don't understand."

"I'm sure you'll figure it, Jim," Carl said. "Come on, we're going to be late for class."

The first bell rang and everybody in the hallway dispersed to their first class of the day, leaving Cindy all alone in the hallway. She looked down at her hands, in complete shock of what just happened.

"Of all the people I've been close to, or have interacted with, and only _Neutron_ can sense that I'm still here. And his big, science-loving brain will _never _accept that I'm actually here, just… as a ghost of some sort, because he doesn't believe in ghosts," Cindy explained to herself. She clenched her fist in frustration. "Well, this is _just great_!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** _Hope you aren't confused on what's happening. Cindy's in a ghost-like state due to what happened to her in the previous chapter. Is she dead? Guess you guys will have to stick around and find out! ;)_

_**To shake things up a bit, the person who posts the 20**__**th**__** review for this story will get a little sneak peak of the next chapter! :D So, get reviewing for your chance to get a peak at what happens next!**_

_Thank you everybody who read/favorited/followed/reviewed this story, as well as favorite/following me as an author! It means so much to me, you guys have no idea! I enjoy writing these stories and I have so many ideas for new ones after this story is done, so make sure you're following me! :)_

_Hope you all are having a fantastic Wednesday!_

_~JimmyxCindy976J :)_


	5. Investigation

**Missing**

**Chapter 5: Investigation **

It has been a full 24-hours since Cindy has been missing. The students at Retroville High School have been doing their part in helping get the word out about her disappearance. Several students have been sharing the information on social media, other students have been creating and handing out flyers throughout town and local hangout places, such as the Retroville Mall and the Candy Bar.

After a full day of no leads on Cindy's whereabouts, Jimmy finally became convinced that something _may_ have happened to her and he began an investigation all on his own. He tried tracing her phone, to no avail. He had a hard time hacking into any surveillance cameras near the area, as the government banned him from gaining access after being caught hacking into them a few years prior.

It just didn't make sense to him. How could Cindy disappear without a trace? She was last seen at the park, and yet, none of the search parties at the park found anything to link to her disappearance, or so they claimed.

"We're going to find Cindy," Jimmy said to his robotic dog. "Time for some criminal profiling. I think I have a good idea on who should be the main culprit."

Jimmy gathered information on all disappearances surrounding 100 feet of Retroville within the past six months; all females around the same age and description of Cindy. He only found two cases, both ending terribly sad and disturbing for him to want to do any further investigation. Upon creating the criminal profile from the two similar cases, he learned that not only were the two suspects caught and in prison for life, but none of the characteristics matched his prime suspect in Cindy's case; Eustace Strych.

"It doesn't make any sense. I know he had something to do with it, but none of the data is supporting this at all. He was the last one to see her, how come nobody is interrogating him?" Jimmy yelled. He was beyond frustrated, exhausted, and hungry. He missed his mother's call in for supper over an hour ago, but he just wanted to continue investigating.

"The surveillance camera in front of the clubhouse, of course! It points in the direction of Cindy's house! Maybe if I watch it from the other night, I can see if she truly made it home, like what she said in her text to Libby. Vox, play the clubhouse surveillance footage from two nights ago, between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 2 a.m., double speed."

Jimmy watched the footage until the end, and he got the evidence he needed. Not only did he not see Strych's limo again at Cindy's house after picking her up, he never saw Cindy again in the video.

"She never made it home," he mumbled to himself. "The text to Libby must have been a fake. Either she lied or… it wasn't her who texted Libby. Come on Goddard, I've had enough stalling around, waiting for the police to do their jobs. We need to further this investigation. Time to head to the park for some clues."

Just as he was about to leave his lab, his mother appeared on Vox's screen.

"James Isaac Neutron, I told you an hour ago that supper was ready. Get your butt in this house now and eat," his mother demanded.

"I can't, I have to get to the park. I need to do some more investigating," Jimmy explained.

"Oh no, you're not. It's too late!"

"Mom, it's only 7:30. I'll be fine."

"Sorry Jimbo," his father appeared on the screen behind his mother. "There's a new temporary curfew throughout Retroville on all children under 17, due to your friend's disappearance. Curfew starts every night at 7 and won't be lifted until they find her."

"You've got to be kidding me. Who would make such a stupid rule?" Jimmy asked.

"Your little rich friend, the one with the funny-looking teeth. He and his father suggested it to the Mayor this morning, and the Mayor implemented it right away," Hugh explained.

"Strych," Jimmy muttered in annoyance. "You have got to let me go to the park, please! I think something really bad actually happened to Cindy, and I feel like I'm the only one who can help her at this point."

"Oh, honey," Judy awed with her hand over her heart. "I know you're worried about your friend, we all are. But you need to stay home and let the police do what they are trained to do."

"But mom-"

"No buts. Now stop arguing and come on inside."

The screen went fuzzy, indicating the disconnection between him and his parents. He sighed loudly in frustration.

"Goddard, get Sheen, Carl, and Libby on the phone, pronto. Tonight, we're sneaking out and looking for Cindy."

* * *

Jimmy instructed each of his friends to meet him at the clubhouse at exactly 11:30 p.m. It was the perfect time, considering almost all of Retroville would be asleep and they could sneak out without their parents knowing.

Carl, Sheen, and Libby met up at the clubhouse as instructed, all wearing black.

"Guys, I'm really scared," Carl whispered, trying not to make too much noise. "What if we get caught?"

"Who cares?" Libby snapped. "Cindy is my best friend, I'm doing anything I can to find her."

Before anybody could respond, Jimmy exited the clubhouse, wearing black sweatpants and a black long-sleeved shirt.

"Thanks for meeting me, guys," Jimmy said. "Okay, so here's the deal. Cindy was last known to be at the park. I know it's late and dark, but we need to find as much evidence as we can there. I've been doing my own investigation since school let out."

"And? Did you find anything?" Libby asked. Jimmy sighed, and slowly nodded his head. He really hated to be the one to tell her that her best friend never made it home that night.

"I watched the surveillance footage from the camera on the clubhouse," Jimmy started.

"And?" Libby asked.

"She didn't come home that night."

Libby began to tear up. That wasn't the news she wanted to hear. "So… so what does that mean?"

"It means she didn't send that text message to you, saying she made it home. And it means we need to work quickly on finding Cindy."

* * *

The four young teens managed to make it to Retroville Park without being caught by any adults or police. Jimmy disabled the security cameras in the park to prevent being watched by the park's security.

"We have to work fast. Disabling the cameras may cause the police to come out here to check on them, and to check on the park," Jimmy ordered. "We're going to split into two groups."

"Oh no," Carl rejected. "I've seen Scooby Doo plenty of times, we are not splitting up."

"Carl, it's the fastest way to finding Cindy," Jimmy said.

"I think Carl's right," Sheen said. "We should all stick together."

"You're just saying that because you're still afraid of the dark," Libby added.

"So?! A lot of manly men are afraid of the dark- especially a park that somebody recently disappeared in!"

"Guys, what if it was some sort of supernatural thing in the woods that took Cindy and-"

"_Enough_!" Jimmy shouted to end the endless nonsense unfolding before him. Carl, Sheen, and Libby stood there silently, afraid to make another sound. "If you guys want to stick together, fine. Whatever. Just grab a flashlight from Goddard and start looking for Cindy."

* * *

Everybody did as they were told, and began heading toward the woods. The eeriness began to creep everybody out, including Jimmy. He wouldn't admit it, but he was more than thankful that Carl suggested to all stay together. His partner would have most likely been him, seeing as Sheen would want to stay with Libby, and he knew he would have ended up doing it all alone after Carl would run away screaming over something he supposedly heard.

"This is really, really creepy," Libby whispered. "Hey look, it's a bulldozer. They must be tearing down some of the trees."

The four teens headed over to the large machine. Goddard began to bark.

"What is it, boy?" Jimmy asked, turning around to make sure nobody was nearby to hear them. Goddard ran in the woods, out of the kids' sights.

"Goddard, where are you going? We can't see you!" Jimmy hollered after him. He saw a large luminescent light in front of them. It was Goddard.

"Come on, guys. Goddard wants us to follow him into the woods," Jimmy directed.

"Oh, heck no!" Libby yelled. "I'm not going in the those woods."

Jimmy heard Goddard barking again. "He found something, let's go!"

Without a second thought, Jimmy ran into the woods and followed the light from Goddard, leaving his three friends behind.

"Wait, don't leave without us!" Sheen shouted, as he started running behind Jimmy, followed closely by Libby and Carl. The gang tried their hardest dodging low branches and small animals within the dim light of their flashlights as they ran aimlessly into the deep woods; their only hope that Goddard actually found something worth running to their deaths, and not just a squirrel.

Jimmy caught up with Goddard, and was in complete shock with what he found. Just seconds following, Sheen, Carl, and Libby were all on sight with Jimmy and his dog. Their flashlights all pointed to the ground, their mouths hung down in horror. Libby began to sob and curled up close to Sheen for the slightest bit of comfort.

They found her.

They found Cindy Vortex; young small town girl who has been missing for two nights. Her body laid lifeless on the ground, her face pale and covered in blood from an evident wound made to her head. Jimmy knelt down, too afraid to touch her. He gently grabbed her hand and he began to cry. All four kids were crying at this point.

"I-I can't-" Jimmy tried to say something between his cries, anything to make this situation not as horrific as it was, but he couldn't. Suddenly, he felt someone grab his shoulder. He looked up, but saw no one there.

Cindy stood there, in her ghost-like state of being, watching over her own lifeless body.

"I'm not dead," she said. "Please, Jimmy. You know I'm still here, just listen to me! Your dog saw me, I led him here. Please, I'm not dead and you've got to help me!"

Jimmy jolted up and began to scream.

"What is it?" Libby asked.

"Her… her hand! She squeezed my hand!" Jimmy knelt back down, and checked her wrist. He felt a faint pulse. "I can't believe it, she's still alive! Libby, call 911 and tell them we need the police and an ambulance right away! Carl, give me your jacket!"

Libby pulled out her phone immediately and dialed 911. Carl took off his jacket and handed it to Jimmy. He took the jacket and laid it over Cindy's body.

"This will hopefully keep her warm enough until the paramedics get here."

"They're on their way," Libby said. She knelt down on the opposite side of Cindy. "Cindy, if you can hear me, you're gonna be okay!"

"I can hear you," Cindy said, aware that her friend unfortunately could not hear her back. "I'm not going anywhere."

Jimmy looked back up where Cindy's ghost was at, still unable to see her, but he definitely felt a presence with them. He couldn't explain the mixture of feelings he was having right now.

"You're going to be okay," Jimmy repeated to Cindy's body.


	6. Blue

**Hello everybody! I just want to apologize for not addressing anything in Chapter 5, as I was so excited to post the chapter, that I forgot to make any sort of Author's Notes. So yes, I am back and I am so excited to finish up "Missing" and "Nine Months"! I know it's been a very long wait, but I hope you all stay tuned; there is plenty more to come with both stories, as well as a new story in the works! **

**Anyways, enjoy chapter 6 and please Review. I appreciate any sort of feedback on the story!**

* * *

**Missing**

**Chapter 6: Blue**

_Your daughter is in a coma._

_We're not sure how long she'll be like this, or if she'll pull through at this point._

Jimmy watched the doctor explain Cindy's situation to her parents through the glass windows of her hospital room. He was reading the doctor's lips word for word. Jimmy sat in the waiting area of the Intensive Care Unit, and hadn't moved a muscle the entire night or morning. His mother eventually figured out he was gone when she entered his room to wake him up for school, and he wasn't there. Although his mother wanted to be upset with him for sneaking out and being gone all night, she didn't want to punish him since he found Cindy. Instead, she allowed him to miss school for this one day, and for him to be there for his friend and her family.

"Here you go sweetie," Judy said as she handed Jimmy a fresh pair of clothes. "Maybe you can go to the restroom and change. You'll be here for a while."

Jimmy nodded tiredly. He hadn't slept in over 24 hours, and he was exhausted. Every time he tried to sleep in his chair, the image of Cindy's cold body in the woods overpowered his brain and he just couldn't keep his eyes closed. He felt like he was being haunted.

"Thanks mom," he said with a yawn.

"Come on, let's go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee," his mother suggested.

"But Cindy-"

"She'll be here when you get back."

Jimmy shakily got out of his chair, and followed his mother to the cafeteria. He didn't care all that much for hospitals. Although he was surrounded by doctors, lab technicians, and other intellectuals, he didn't care for the smells, crying, or screams. And after being here under this circumstance, he'll probably never want to step foot in another hospital again.

His mother poured two cups of coffee, paid at the register, and the two walked over to a small table to sit and talk.

"So, am I grounded?" Jimmy asked before taking a small sip of his coffee. He didn't like the bitter taste, but he desperately needed the caffeine.

"Hmm? No, of course not sweetie. Although I really wish you would have told your father or I what you were doing. We were worried sick about you this morning."

"I know, but would you have let me out if I told you where I was going?" Jimmy asked, resting his lazy head on his hand.

"I suppose not," his mother responded.

"I am sorry, though."

"I know you are, honey," his mother laid his hand on top of his free hand on the table. "So what were they saying to Mr. and Mrs. Vortex?"

"She's in a coma, and they're not sure what's going to happen at this point."

"That's so awful. Who would ever so such a thing?"

Jimmy knew the answer, but he just couldn't prove it right now. And his brain hurt too much from the lack of sleep to think into it more. He knew Strych was behind this, and he knew one thing for sure; he was going to make him pay for this. Before Jimmy was able to respond to his mother, the overhead speaker in the cafeteria came on.

"Code Blue, ICU Room 10. Code Blue, ICU Room 10. Code Blue, ICU Room 10."

"Room 10? That's Cindy!" Jimmy jumped out of his seat and ran out of the cafeteria.

When he got to the ICU, there was a lot of commotion. Mr. and Mrs. Vortex were shoved out of Cindy's room as doctors and nurses swarmed the area. It was like a scene from a medical drama TV series. Jimmy just stood there, unable to say or do anything, but he felt like he should be doing _something_. After all, he was a genius.

"Mr. and Mrs. Vortex, what's going on?" Jimmy asked.

"We don't know," Mr. Vortex responded. "One minute the doctor was talking to us, the next minute her heart rate started dropping and the nurse called a Code Blue. Next thing we knew, we were being shoved out of there."

"I should be in there with my daughter!" Mrs. Vortex hollered at one of the nurses who was passing by.

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Vortex. We are doing everything we can now for your daughter, you need to stay out here. Being in there may cause more stress in the environment and won't allow her to recuperate. We'll update you as soon as we can," the nurse said. Jimmy quickly looked at her name tag. _Jackie._ Before either of Cindy's parents could ask any more questions, the young nurse disappeared into Cindy's room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

An hour later after Cindy's Code Blue, and everything seemed to calm down. Cindy's parents were back in the room with her, and Jimmy was back in the waiting area. His mother had met up there with him shortly after they revived Cindy, and was sitting up there with him, waiting for any news they could get about Cindy's condition. Jimmy watched as her father stood up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He approached Jimmy and Judy.

"Is there any news?" Jimmy asked, practically jumping out of his seat.

"Cindy's stable now, but she's still in the coma. They've been running tests, there's very little brain activity, and the only thing keeping her breathing right now is the ventilator," Mr. Vortex choked a little at the end of his sentence. "They are trying everything they can, but at this point, it's pretty much a waiting game to see if she'll pull through."

"Oh my," Judy said, putting her hand on her chest.

"This isn't right," Jimmy said, angrily. "There's more that they can do than just _wait_!"

"Jimmy, honey, please calm down."

"No, mom, I'm not going to calm down! And I'm not just going to wait around like everybody else! Mr. Vortex, I am going to do whatever it takes to get Cindy to wake up. You have my word," Jimmy picked up his jacket off his chair and started to storm away.

"Where are you going?" His mother asked.

"Home, to figure out how to get Cindy out of this coma."

"What can you do that the doctors haven't already done?" Mr. Vortex hollered after him. Jimmy spun around and looked dead into Mr. Vortex's eyes.

"There are two things that I have that not a single one of these medical professionals can compete with; my lab and my big brain." And with that, Jimmy continued down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

Of all the adventures and missions he's had in his short life, this one didn't compare to the rest. Cindy was in a coma and nobody was offering any help, at least, in his perspective. This is perhaps the most important mission he has ever had. He knew if he failed to bring her out of her coma, he failed everybody, but most importantly Cindy. And if there was one thing every resident in Retroville knew, it was that Jimmy Neutron refuses to fail to Cindy Vortex.

* * *

**A shorter chapter, I know. But the next chapter is going to have some twists and is going to get very interesting! Also, I know that ghost Cindy did not make an appearance in this chapter, but in the next chapter, she will play a much more important role to saving her own life. **

**Thank you to all my fans of this story! I really appreciate all the feedback and support you all have given me, and I just love you all so much! Thank you! **

**Stay tuned for more, and please review! :) **

**Much love,**

**JimmyxCindy976J **


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